What does it take to be named a Top Employer not once, not twice, but nine times in a row?

Offer an exceptional place to work, and help employees build their careers. Embrace a company culture that emphasizes innovation and sustainability, community outreach and volunteering.

Offering an exceptional place to work makes good business sense. Engaged employees – those who feel their work makes a meaningful contribution and that their employer cares – will be more productive and loyal. Engagement helps build and retain the skilled workforce of the future.

The team at Hydro Ottawa knows a few things about being a destination employer. Last month, the organization was named for the ninth year in a row as one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers. This annual competition is organized by the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.

“Our workforce is our greatest strength,” said Bryce Conrad, President and CEO of Hydro Ottawa. “I take great pride in how our employees serve the community on a daily basis – from delivering reliable power to making our community more sustainable. This recognition would not be possible without our dedicated team who put the customer at the centre of everything they do.”

Here are some of the reasons why Hydro Ottawa is a top employer:

• Maternity and parental leave top-up payments for employees who are new mothers (to 90 per cent of salary for up to 25 weeks) and parental top-up for new fathers and adoptive parents (to 90 per cent of salary for up to 10 weeks) -- additionally, Hydro Ottawa offers a generous subsidy for in-vitro fertilization for parents-to-be.

• A Community Investment program to support communities in which Hydro Ottawa operates. It encourages employees to give back by providing paid time off to volunteer and by matching employee donations.

• Tuition subsidies for employees to take job-related courses, and an academic scholarship program for children of employees.

• A Diversity Council (which has launched groups like a Youth Council, Accessibility Committee and Pride Network) that advises on how the company can continue to drive progress on diversity and inclusion.

• A partnership with Algonquin College that leverages the strengths of its seasoned workers and retirees to deliver a two-year Powerline Technician Diploma Program.

• An award-winning ‘Prime Time’ initiative that engages older workers and retirees by keeping them connected to the organization, thereby ensuring the transfer of valuable knowledge from experienced employees to those starting their careers.

What can your organization do to improve how it attracts and retains the diverse talent it needs to prosper, today and in the future?